The Big Little Guy

Merry Christmas

After opening a generous pile of gifts, vast majority for the kids, we headed to the beach. Our nearest beach is Honeymoon Island State Park beach and when we got over our shock that state employees work on Christmas so that it can be open (365 days a year!) we jumped in the car and headed over. It was a perfect day for it and though the pictures suggest otherwise, we were far from the only people there.

Merry Christmas! (Florida style)

Me with the littlest E

We had a wonderful visit from Sarah, Rob and Scout on Christmas Eve. Sar took this shot of me with the littlest guy after giving me and then teaching me use the Moby wrap, my new favorite way to carry him around.  Thank you Sar!

Ol' blue eyes

Brothers

Emerson's first official haircut

I have cut Emerson's hair several times but it was beginning to need professional attention.

By professional, I mean SuperCuts.

Here is Emerson looking unsure in the chair. He sat still long enough that Eric no longer says he looks like a Beatle.

Ethan, day 5

The new guy

Eric with brand new Ethan

Ethan is here, Emerson is a big brother

"Groucho," aka Ethan Stewart Freundt, was born at 2:09am on December 14th. Ethan weighed in at 9 pounds, 5 ounces, measured 21 inches long at birth and seems to like Florida just fine so far.

After going a few days past his due date, he was suddenly in a hurry and arrived just 15 minutes after the midwife got to our place. Emerson, who was sleeping upstairs, woke up just as Ethan was born and got to come down and meet him right away. So far he seems fascinated by Ethan and likes to point out to us that he has toes and is wearing a hat.

Ethan's arrival means Emerson will have to share some things that have been his alone so far. One major one: his blog. Starting today, "It's Emerson" will be called "Emerson and Ethan," at least until I can think of a better name for it. For now, we're just going to keep it simple.

Before Emerson becomes a big brother

I don't think Emerson is really prepared for the change that is coming in the next week or so. (Sometimes I'm not sure I am either.)

Before this big event changes Emerson's life as he knows it I wanted to give a special All About Emerson update here on his blog. Here's what he's been up to lately:

I know when Emerson has woken up in the morning and from naps when I hear him shouting a very demanding sounding "Mom! Mom!" or sometimes "Bear!" which usually means he has thrown his bear overboard and wants him back. When I go in to get him he will say "Blanket! Right 'ere!*" and indicate where the blanket hangs while not in use.

Emerson loves reading and regularly demands that we go to the library to get more books. He is getting quite capable with shapes, colors and counting (1-2-3-4-9!) and pretty quickly learns the books so well he can essentially read them to us.

Lately, just reading the books is not enough: as we settle in to read a book, Emerson will quietly demand: "Sing." So then Eric or I will either put the words to music on the spot or, if the book is mostly pictures, improvise both lyrics and a tune. I will admit, I take a special delight in hearing what Eric comes up with. 

Every so often Emerson will take the binoculars we keep by the kitchen table, hold them up to his eyes (backwards), aim them at the pond and say "Alligator!" He also sometimes thinks the alligator would enjoy his food more than he does.

Emerson is a big hugger right now. Many times every day he will open his arms wide and say "honk" which means hug. Sometimes while Eric is at work Emerson will say "Dad" and then open his arms and say "honk" to tell me that he is going to hug dad when he comes home. Emerson will also occasionally hug other children at the playground, most of whom are confused by it and run off at the first opportunity.

Emerson helped us decorate the Christmas tree and insists that we have the lights on all the time. He loved the process of putting the ornaments on the tree and was disappointed when we came to the end. Several times a day we go through each ornament and say what it is. Emerson has become familiar with Santa and recognizes him in pictures as well as on the tree, though I don't think he understands exactly who Santa is. (Does anyone?)
I know that Emerson will be a wonderful big brother. He is such a sweet guy and clearly already has a lot to teach his little brother.


*"Right 'ere" is something Emerson says a LOT. It has a funny cockney sound to it and sounds more like a very punctuated "Rah air!"

"Big bear"

We parked near this enormous blow-up monkey the other day and Emerson insisted on going up to touch it, though he was pretty sure it was a big bear, not a monkey. Here's Emerson happy as a clam sitting on the monkey bear's foot.